DGxHQ: Felt Like Flying Oneshot
by clarafly13
Summary: HarleyWing AU where Harley and Dick meet when they are kids in Haly's circus. Dedicated to GraysonandQuinn for blessing me with their work.


**Dedicated to GraysonandQuinn for their fantastic work on HarleyWing. :)**

Dick was ten when they first met.

He remembers walking to his next morning chore when he heard the sounds of soothing yet intense violin and cello coming from within the tent. Curious to see what act was practicing he quickly checked his surrounding and ducked his head into one of the open tent flaps.

He was shocked to see not a performer he was familiar with but with a young girl about his age with brunette hair balancing with one hand on a pole. He had seen the act before with a previous act when he was younger but it had been a while since they'd had a hand stand act in the show. He watched in a daze as she gracefully contorted her body without losing her balance. He couldn't tell from his distance if she was shaking but he would be mighty impressed if she wasn't. His own act took plenty of training and strength building; he couldn't imagine the kind of training she had to do in order to keep herself balanced for so long.

"Ow!" He jumped back as something smacked the back of his head.

"You peeping tom! You got chores to do, boy. Don't make me call your momma!" Beatrice, a bearded lady chuckled at him. He blushed at being caught and mumbled an apology before shuffling off.

It wasn't till later that night that he finally met the hand standing girl.

He was sitting next to some of the children at dinner, laughing at the youngest kid that cluelessly had a bugger dripping from his nose.

A hand clamped on his shoulder. "Kids, I'd like to introduce you to Harleen. She's gonna be joining us from now on, so welcome her to the family will ya? Sit down Harleen; I'll getcha a plate of food."

The girl smiled at them and Dick quickly patted the seat beside him. "Hi, I'm Dick! You can sit next to me if you want."

"Girls got cooties!" One of the younger boys whispered warningly at Dick. Harleen laughed and Dick liked the sound of it. She sat down beside him and he noticed her eyes were blue and if you looked closely you could see light freckles dotting her nose.

"Here ya go sweetheart. One of the best damn meals you'll ever have." Haly set down a plate of beans, bread, and chicken in front of Harleen.

"Thank you Mr. Haly." He patted her head in response and bounced somewhere else.

"You're really good." Dick decided to say as they ate. "I saw you earlier performing."

"Thanks." She smiled. "What do you do?"

"I'm an acrobat! Ever heard of the Flying Graysons? I perform with my parents."

"Wow that is so cool! Does it feel like flying?"

"Uh-huh." Dick nodded his head. "Sometimes I imagine that I am but then I gotta grab onto the bar. It can be scary if you fall."

Their food long forgotten, Harley leans on her hand looking at him in wonderment. "Do you thing you can teach me? I did gymnastics; I'm really good on the bars. It should be just like that right?"

"It's a little harder than that." Dick shook his head. "You gotta hold onto the bars or your partner and then you gotta thrust yourself away and do flips and then catch the next bar." Harleen's face fell and Dick felt terrible. "But I think my mom could teach you. If you really want to."

Harleen's face brightened up and she hugged him tightly, "Oh yes please!"

Dick blushed as he noticed his parents looking his way.

"Ew Dick has girl cooties."

 ***2 years later***

Harleen, or Harley as she told everybody to call her, quickly became Dicks new best friend. The two were almost inseparable and were often seen running all over the grounds of their latest destination. Dick learned soon after meeting Harley that her parents weren't going to be traveling along with her and he felt bad that she was lonely. When he told his feelings that he didn't like that Harley had no family with her, they invited her to live in their camper where ever they were.

Harley did get lessons from Mary after her own training was finished for the day and to no one's surprise was a natural.

They were on their way to a city named Gotham when Harley woke Dick from his sleeping.

"Wh-" Harley quickly covered his mouth and motioned for him to be quiet. Nodding, he followed her out from the small sleeping room his family had. They walked quietly out in the trains halls until they reached the very end of the train. Slipping out into the brisk night air Harley began climbing the latter that lead to the roof the train.

"Are you crazy? The train is moving!" Dick cried out, grabbing her ankle.

"C'mon Robin, don't you wanna feel like flying?" She grinned down at him. He grumbled at the nickname she had dubbed him and followed her. He sat down beside her once he reached the top, their legs dangled off the side of the cart. He guessed it wasn't too dangerous with the cart traveling at a reasonable speed.

Harley laid back and Dick followed suit.

"Look how beautiful the stars are." She pointed.

"You know with us moving and laying down it does almost feel like we're flying." Dick mumbled.

"Exactly." She admitted. "I do this all the time."

"Really?" Dick sat up surprised, he thought after two years he would have known something like that. "Why haven't you brought me with you before?"

Sitting up she shrugged, her eyes still focused on the stars. "I like to come up here and think about my parents. Maybe they're looking at them too. Maybe they're thinking about me."

"Oh." Dick mumbled. She had told him before that her parents weren't very nice and nothing like his but she still missed them because they were still her parents. "So why did you bring me with you this time?"

"I had a nightmare. Of a Robin flying away." Tears rimmed her eyes. "It was stupid." She mumbled, wiping her eyes.

"Nightmares aren't stupid." He told her. "Was the robin me?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, "I guess, I just don't want to lose you. You're my best friend."

"I'll always be your best friend Harley." He promised.

 ***11 years later***

"Showtime Harls!" Rico called out to her.

Grinning, she followed the group of performers out towards the tent. From the back tent she could hear the sounds of the crowd cheering for Marko and Buddy the lion. She did extra stretches as she waited for her act to be called. Thirteen years of performing and she couldn't have been happier. There was a time where she had thought of quitting, going back home and going to school. Maybe getting a degree in some kind of medical field but her real family stood around her and her home was out under the spotlight. The only thing she was missing was a companion but after growing up with the other performers she could never develop any romantic feelings for them.

Besides, she only ever loved one boy.

"Gotham City, I present you with the Harlequin Diamond!"

Harley danced out into the floor, a graceful smile on her face as she waved at the crowd. She did her routine on the floor, walking about on her hands, dancing, elegantly tumbling around the floor before her main act. When it was time for her to balance on the two supports she looked out into the crowd with a challenging look.

And that's when she saw him.

Blue eyes she swore she would never forget and same ridiculous smirk that would always tease her with terrible jokes.

Memories flashed in her head she continued her act.

Of the time they had found that broken winged Robin that he had insisted on helping.

Of the time they sat with his parents playing monopoly because it reminded her of the one-time her own family had played it.

Of all his terrible jokes.

Of the time they sat up on the back of the train looking at the star, a moment she remembered every night she still went up to the roof.

Of the first day they meet.

And it all felt like flying.


End file.
